Derrick Rose

“As a ballplayer, you want to play against the best. I know my team is ready to play.” - Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose is proof that you can always go home again. A two-time state champion at Simeon Career Academy, this electrifying point guard returned to the Windy City in 2008 when he was picked first in the NBA draft by the Bulls. He has since led Chicago to back-to-back playoffs and has the team on the brink of its finest season in years. “I'm from Chicago, so it would mean a lot if I would just bring back one championship here,” he says. “It would mean so much to this city. I want to be that guy. I want to be that guy that does that.”

MAGNETISM

Derrick Rose has never had a problem scoring. A superstar since his teens and a multimillionaire since his early twenties, this Eastern Conference All-Star has been romantically linked to a bevy of beautiful babes over the years. Rose would likely still be out padding his dating stats today were it not for a chance encounter with New York Liberty point guard Leilani Mitchell on May 6, 2008. The pair hit it off immediately and have been playing their own intimate game of one-on-one ever since. It’s unclear if Rose and Mitchell plan to have children, but if they do, colleges all around the country will be lining up to offer the tot a scholarship as soon as he or she emerges.

SUCCESS

Watch out, Kobe Bryant. The mere mention of Derrick Rose’s name makes coaches around the NBA giddy with excitement. “The guy’s a star,” says Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles. “He’s beyond quick and powerful. He can go to the rim and finish. And that doesn’t even mention how he sees the floor and passes the ball.” Former Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson is quick to agree. “That guy is ridiculous,” he says. “He’s ahead of all these other young kids at the same stage. He has no fear.” Even taciturn coaches like Dallas’ Rick Carlisle can’t help being impressed with Rose’s remarkable skill set. “His impact on the team is tremendous,” he gushes. “He’s just a difficult match-up. He’s a dynamic athlete and very skilled. He plays hard. He has a lot of [the[ qualities... of the great ones.”

Derrick Rose Biography

Derrick Rose has been in the spotlight since 2004 when he led Chicago’s Simeon Career Academy to a sterling 30-5 record during his sophomore season. His ability to blow effortlessly past defenders generated headlines throughout the country and it wasn’t long before his games were attracting sellout crowds full of both rabid fans and university scouts. Rose continued to give his supporters something to cheer about the following year, as he guided the Wolverines to their first state championship since 1984 by averaging 20.1 points, 8.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game.

derrick rose is named illinois mr. basketball

Derrick Rose entered his senior season as the top-ranked point guard in the country and he continued to live up to his ranking. This high-flying floor general led the Wolverines to their first back-to-back championship in school history by averaging 25.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 3.4 steals per game. His eye-popping production earned him numerous postseason honors, including the 2007 Illinois Mr. Basketball award from the Chicago Tribune. Big-time national publications like USA Today and Parade magazine also jumped on Rose’s crowded bandwagon by naming him to their respective All-American squads.

derrick rose is named freshman of the year

Following high school, Derrick Rose elected to attend the University of Memphis, where he would have the opportunity to play for former New Jersey Nets head coach John Calipari. Coach Cal’s up-tempo offense proved to be a perfect fit for the young point guard, and Rose led the Tigers to an outstanding 33-1 record while averaging 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

The fresh-faced phenom continued to elevate his game during the NCAA Tournament by averaging 20.8 points, 6.0 assists and 6.5 rebounds per contest, guiding Memphis to the NCAA Championship Game against the Kansas Jayhawks. The Tigers would ultimately lose the match-up in overtime, but the loss could hardly be blamed on Rose, who tallied 17 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds in the heartbreaking 75-68 defeat. The Windy City native was rewarded for his efforts following the season when he earned Third Team All-American honors and was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year.

derrick rose wins the all-star skills challenge

Derrick Rose declared for the NBA Draft toward the end of the school year and was selected first overall by the Chicago Bulls on June 26, 2008. It was an ideal scenario for the young point guard as he would have the chance to play for a promising young squad in his own hometown. Buoyed by the support of his friends and family, Rose recorded nine assists in his NBA debut on October 9, 2008, and went onto become the first Bulls player since Michael Jordan to score 10 points or more in his first 10 games. Rose continued to control the stat sheet through the first half of the season, leading to an invitation to the NBA’s All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, where he dished out a team-high seven assists in the Rookie Challenge and became the first rookie ever to win the Playstation Skills Challenge.

derrick rose is named rookie of the year

As impressive as Derrick Rose’s individual skills may have been, it was his ability to involve his teammates in his glory that really set him apart from his fellow first-year players. His selfless play helped the Bulls improve by eight games over the previous season and led to a first-round playoff match-up against the Boston Celtics. Rose showed he was a rookie in name only during the series, torching Boston for 36 points in his postseason debut and helping to push the Celtics to the brink of elimination in the hard-fought seven-game affair. Rose’s outstanding contributions were later recognized by the league when he became just the third player in franchise history to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.

derrick rose becomes an all-star

Derrick Rose proved his freshman season wasn’t a fluke in 2009-2010 by improving his averages across the board. His 20.8 points and 6.0 assists per game were both tops for the Bulls and led to his first All-Star Game selection, where he recorded six points, five assists and two steals for the Eastern Conference. He also guided the 41-41 Bulls back into the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Once again, he saved his best for the postseason, in which he averaged 26.8 points and 7.2 assists in a five-game defeat to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

derrick rose wins gold at the fiba world championship

Rose continued to add to his impressive credentials over the summer by helping Team USA win its first FIBA World Championship since 1994. The victory was especially sweet since the U.S. squad wasn’t expected to fare well given its youth and lack of international experience. Rose started at point guard throughout the high profile tournament and averaged 7.2 points and 3.2 assists in 23.1 minutes per game.

onward and upward

Now in his third professional season, Derrick Rose appears to be at the top of his game. He’s currently among the NBA leaders in scoring and assists and he has the Bulls on pace to achieve their highest playoff seed since the Michael Jordan era.